PepsiCo has announced it will update 1,600 trailers in the company fleet with Stemco TrailerTail and EcoSkirt aerodynamic devices to improve fuel economy.

“These trailer skirts and TrailerTails will help us support PepsiCo’s 2025 Performance with Purpose agenda, specifically the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%,” said Keshav Sondhi, PepsiCo director – fleet engineering and sustainability. “This investment in our fleet helps us ensure that we are reducing our impact on the environment while also getting our products into our customers’ hands as efficiently as possible.”

The TrailerTail Trident can deliver over 5% better fuel efficiency at 65 mph, based on SAE Type II testing. It is also designed to stabilize trailers and reduce road spray, improving visibility for the driver.

The EcoSkirt improves fuel efficiency by reducing drag under the trailer where air hits the trailer’s rear axles. By combining the EcoSkirt with the TrailerTail, fleets can achieve 8-12% fuel savings, according to Stemco.

“As we partner with PepsiCo, we have been impressed with their desire to improve the environment,” said Drake Piper, Stemco’s vice president/general manager for innovative tire and mileage solutions. “We also expect this partnership to successfully increase PepsiCo’s efficiency and optimize their fleet operations.”

Fuel Smarts

BYD (Build Your Dreams) has delivered a battery-electric 8TT truck to the Port of Oakland. The Class 8 truck was grant-funded by CARB and will be part of a three-year feasibility study to determine whether zero-emission trucks could replace diesel trucks in port operations.

Fleetcor Technologies, Inc. will test blockchain technology as a way to modernize payments for its commercial fleet clients, especially across international borders, as part of a new initiative with Ripple, which has expertise in the technology, according to the company.

The new vehicles will annually consume approximately 36.8 million gallons of clean propane autogas, and many will be displacing fuels with higher emissions like gasoline and diesel, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.

A two-decade partnership among two of the most trusted and respected names in the work-truck and parcel-delivery industries reached a major milestone, as Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) delivered its 50,000th chassis to UPS.